Kings Highway (Middletown)

Kings Highway is a colonial road in Middletown Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey. The road was originally known as the Native American "Minisink Path", and it was renamed to "Kings Highway" in 1664 after the settlement of Middletown. Upon its completion, the highway was 99 feet in width, and many historical structures built along the highway from the 17th to 19th centuries still stood by the 21st century. The highway formed the nucleus of Middletown, and it was a major thoroughfare during the colonial period, serving as the retreat route for British soldiers as they retreated to Sandy Hook Bay from the Battle of Monmouth in 1778 during the American Revolutionary War. In 1919, the highway was realigned northward, and Marlpit Hall was shifted fifty feet north of its original location. During the 21st century, the highway remained a major road in the town.